Another Great Find Under $1

I am starting a short series of thrifty finds.  Enjoy!!

50 cents!

If you look carefully at the cover of this book you will see the 50 cent price tag.  This book was tucked away at the Friends of the Library monthly sale.  There are 48 pages of alphabets and fun stitching motifs.  There is very little instruction, which is fine since I have no idea what language it is printed in.  If you know, please pass on any knowledge you have of what it says!

New Sewing Machine



Recently, I spent the day driving from one sewing machine dealer to another with my friend Tracey as she researched the latest "super machines".  I told my husband when he left for work that morning that I would try not to get sewing machine fever while we were out.  The real machines were tempting, but I could not pass up this $7 beauty at The Classy Flea.  I wish I could have waited until he got home so I could have seen his face when I told him I bought a new sewing machine!  Just the sound of his voice over the phone was worth the $7 investment.

Possibly My Best find Yet!!

20 Cents!!

That's right.  I paid 20 cents for this hand painted plate at Value Village today.  You can't see it in the picture but that is metallic gold paint.  I Googled Georges Briard and he popped right up.  His handpainted plates sold in Nieman Marcus and Bonwit Teller in the 50's, 60's and 70's.  I am guessing that this plate was part of a store display.  Georges Briard was the name artist Jascha Brojdo signed on the back of his commercial products. Jascha served on the staff of Gen. George S. Patton as an Army interpreter.  Does anyone else wonder if this was a tribute to the General?  Hard to believe it is just a coincidence.

Crazy Quilting

Does this fabric look familiar?  These are the fabrics from my nephew's quilt.  My friend Tracey came over the other day to teach me how to crazy quilt.  We were going to practice with random scraps when she had the brainstorm to use the leftovers from the quilt.  I have a couple of mistakes that I will not point out but am curious if you notice.  I was able to take this square in the car and actually embroider while riding.  I normally cannot do anything in the car, but this I could do!  Very exciting to have something to take along in the car.

I also took along the book on the right, Complete Guide to Embroidery Stitches.  This book is checked out from the library. (I love the public library!)  I put this book on my Christmas list but was dismayed to find that it is out of print.  The least expensive copy I could find was almost $100.  It immediately came off my list.  But I was able to check it out again to take with me on our trip. 

 I added some embroidery in classic crazy quilt style to the square above.  It was a great way to pass the time.  I will make it into a pillow to send with the quilt - when I finish it!

Project Update and Questions - Help!

I've been quilting with my walking foot inside the edge of each block and  outside the edge of each circle.  I am 80% finished with the border.  I have two questions - well many questions but I will keep it to two!

1.  How do I hide the ends of my thread when my quilting does not go off the edge of the quilt?
2.  Where do you start when you are filling in the background of the quilt?  Quilting the field of the quilt is the part I have been the most nervous about.  I am planning to either stipple it or do swirly lines that make circles.  These were both taught in my class in October.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

First Quilt - I Need to Get Busy Quilting!

Quilt Front

This is my very first quilt!  I had hoped to give it to my nephew on his second birthday.  He turned 3 last week!  He loves anything with wheels or any type of ball he can throw so it is designed with circles (balls) and vehicle fabrics.  I've been struggling with each step because I don't want to ruin it.  I've come to the realization that if I don't hurry, he will outgrow the fabric before I get it to him. 

I took a quilting class at the Quilt Expo this fall and then posted about practicing my free motion quilting.  I've been busy with costumes for the high school, making my daughter's dress, and all kinds of projects that distract me from finishing.  I decided that this will be my next project once I finish my son's sweater throw.  (It is embarrassing to admit I started buying sweaters before I bought this quilt fabric.  First time projects intimidate me!)

Quilt Back

I used my Sidewinder Bobbin Winder to load some bobbins today in an effort to try to get ready to quilt.  (I had 10 minutes to be creative today!) I am just going to have to give it a go.  The thing is, he won't care one bit if I do a good job so I just need to get busy and get to it!

Putting it out there that I have this project that needs to be finished ASAP will hopefully make me accountable!  Let's see if it works!

My Fall Project - No Time To Post!

My daughter had a dance the first week in December.  We started shopping in early November and hoped we would get as lucky as we did last year.  Unfortunately, we found nothing!  We even started shopping in the $250 range in pure desperation.  If you know me well, you know that is way out of my comfort zone!  We still did not find anything appropriate.

On a lark, I went to Hancock fabrics during one of their $.99 pattern sales to see if there was an easy pattern that would look well on her.  I found one that seemed to be exactly what she was looking for.  It lets you design your own dress by choosing from the different options.

My daughter loved the pattern - but a different view!  I liked this one.

She picked the bodice that had no room for error on the fit. 

And she wanted only one layer of fabric on the bodice instead of just sewing two layers together and turning them right side out as the pattern called for.  So not only did I have to fit the bodice just right, figure out how to change the construction,  then I had to trim the single layer of chiffon in satin bias tape! 

After four bodice cuttings, sweating over inserting a zipper into a skirt and bodice that had 2 layers of fabric  (chiffon over satin), using boning for the first time, and completely cutting out the skirt twice because the first one was way too short, this is the final result:

Getting ready for the dance at her grandmother's house.

She felt beautiful and I was so relieved she liked the dress.   And best of all, she had a great time at the dance!

PS - Total cost of the dress - $27.00.  Her fabric was on clearance - $2.00 a yard.  Had I not purchased a lot of extra fabric, it would have been a lot less.  But thank goodness I did!  It was considered a fall color and they were already putting out the brights for New Year's and prom!